Mobile earth boring machine

ABSTRACT

An earth boring machine having a power head including an auger drive shaft movable toward and away from the ground and having means for tilting the auger shaft for boring holes at various angles relative to the vertical. A single prime mover on the machine operates to impart movement thereto over the ground, tilt, raise, and lower the power head, and rotate the drive shaft, selectively, by means of transmission and control mechanisms.

United States Patent [72] Inventor [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,348,024 5/1944 Parrish Raymond E. Von Ruden Owatonna, Minn.[21] AppLNo. 793,852

173/28X l73/27X 173/27 173/43 [22] Filed Jan. 24, 1969 [45] PatentedFeb. 16, 1971 [73] Assignee General Equipment Co.

Owatonna, Minn.

a corporation ormnnem ABSTRACT: An earth boring machine having a powerhead including an auger drive shaft movable toward and away from theground and having means for "tilting the auger shaft for boring holes atvarious angles relative to the vertical. A single prime mover on themachine operates to impart movement thereto over the ground, tilt,raise, and lower the power head, and rotate the drive shaft,selectively, by means of transmission and control mechanisms.

PATENTEDFEBIBIBYI 3,563,320

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l N V EN TOR. RaymonoE VanHuden J9 TTORNEVS MOBILE EARTH BORING MACHINESUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The earth boring machine of this invention is ahighly compact self-propelled unit, comprising a normally horizontalbase frame having supporting and driving wheels journaled thereon andcarrying a primer mover. A generally uptight stand: J extends upwardlyfrom the base frame and is pivotally mounted thereon, and an'elongatedgenerally upright guide member is pivotally mounted on the standard, thepivotal connections between thebase frame, standard and guide memberbeing so arranged that the guide member may be swung or tilted inforward, rearward. and sideward directions relative to the base frame. Apower head is mounted on the guide member for movements longitudinallythereof and carries a fluid pressure operated motor having a rotaryauger drive shaft the axis of which is parallel to the longitudinaldimension of the guide member. The power head is elevated by meansincluding a second fluid pressure operated motor, and a pair of otherfluid pressure operated motors are operatively connected each to a pairof wheels on an opposite side of the base frame to drive the wheels atone side independently of those at the opposite side. Power transmissionmechanism for operating the fluid pressure operated motors includes afluid pump connected to-the prime mover and fluid circuits between thepump and the several fluid pressure operated motors. Control valves ineach of the circuits provide for control of each fluid pressureoperatedmotor selectively and independently of the others thereofDESCRIPTIONOF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a view in side elevation of amobile earth boring machine produced. in accordance with this invention,some parts being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation, some parts being broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view partly in plan and partly in section, takensubstantially on the; line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG.3, and rotated I80";

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantiallyon the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a still further enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line6-6 ofFlG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation, as seen from the line7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substan-- tially on theline 8-8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 9-9 of FIG.7;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on theline 10-10 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic fluid diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The earth boring machine of this inventioncomprises a normally horizontally disposed flat rectangular base frame1, a generally upright standard 2, an elongated guide member 3, a powerhead 4 mounted on the guide member 3 for longitudinal generally upwardand downward movements on the guide member 3, an earth boring auger 5carried by the power head 4, and a prime mover in the nature of aconventional internal combustion engine 6 mounted on the base frame I.Also mounted on the base framel is a fuel tank 7 for the engine 6 and areservoir 8 for fluid, such as hydraulic liquid.

The base frame 1 includes a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal boxframe members 9, front and rear transverse box frame members 10 and 11respectively and intermediate cross frame members 12 and 13, thetransverse or cross frame members 10-13 being welded at their oppositeends to adjacent ones of the longitudinal or side frame members 9. Thefront transverse frame member 10 and cross frame member'12 are connectedby a brace member 13, see particularly FIG. 3. As

therein shown, the front transverse frame member 10 is disposed inrearwardly spaced relation to the extreme front ends of the side framemembers 9. The base frame I is supported by pneumatic tire equippedsupporting and driving wheels arranged in longitudinally spaced pairs atopposite sides of the base frame 1 and adjacent: the front and rear endsthereof. The wheels of one pair thereof are indicated at 14, the pair ofwheels at the opposite side being indicated at 15. Each of the wheels 14and 15 are mounted on drive shafts I6 journaled in inner and outerbearings 17 and 18 respectively, the bearings 17 and 18 being rigidlymounted on the side frame members 8.

The pairs of wheels 14 and 15 are independently driven I from the engine6 by power transmission mechanism including a fluid pump 19 operativelyconnected to the drive shaft of the engine 6, respective ones of a pairof rotary hydraulic motors 20 and 21 each mounted on a different one ofthe side frame members 9 and driven by fluid under pressure from thepump 19, and mechanical connections between the hydraulic motors 20 and21 and their respective pairs of wheels 14 and 15. These mechanicalconnections include pairs of sprocket wheels 22 and 23, each pairthereof being mounted on a respective drive shaft 24 and 25 of thehydraulic motors 20 and 21 respectively, front and rear 'spnocket wheels26 and 26 respectively mounted on the shafts 16 of the front and rearwheels 14 respectively within the adjacent side frame member 9, andendless front and rear link chains 28 and 29 each entrained over adifferent one of the sprocket wheels 22 and a respective one of thesprocket wheels 26 and 27. The shafts 16 of the pair of wheels 15 areprovided with front and rear sprocket wheels 30 and 31 respectiv ly.within the adjacent side frame member 8, and front and rear endless linkchains 32 and 33 are each entrained over one of the sprocket wheels 23and a respective one of thesprocket wheels 30 and 31. As shown in FIGS.1, 3 and 8, idler sprocket wheels 34 are journaled on shafts 35 thatextend through slots 36 in the side frame members 9, each of the idlersprocket wheels 34 engaging a different one of the link chains 28, 29,32 and 33, the sprocket shafts 35 being adjustable in the slots 36 tomaintain the drive chains under proper driving tension. As showndiagrammatically in FIG. 8, the hydraulic drive motors 20 and 21 aredisposed in a hydraulic circuit with the pump 19 and reservoir 8,operation of the motors 20 and .21 being independently controlled by apair of control valves 37 and 38 respectively. The valves 37 and 38 areof well-known conventional structure and are shown in FIG. 8 as beingrotary valves only for the sake of convenience. In practice, the valves37 and 38 are built into a valve body 39 in common with other valves tobe described, the valve body 39 being mounted on the upper end of thereservoir 8, the valves 37 and 38 being operated by respective operatinghandles 40 and 411. By proper manipulation of the operating handles 40and 41, the hydraulic motors 20 and 21 may be operated to propel themachine forwardly or rearwardly, or to impart steering movements to themachine by turning one of the pairs of wheels 14 or 15 at greater speedthan the other pair thereof. If desired, one of the pairs of wheels 14and 15 may be rotated in a forward direction, while the otherpairthereof is rotated in a reverse direction, whereby to cause the machineto turn on its own axis.

For the purpose of releasably locking the machine in any desiredlocation, the shafts 16 of the rear wheels 14 and 15 are provided withdisc elements 42 that are engaged by brake calipers 43 mounted on theside frame members 9 and controlled by operating rods 44 connected to abell crank lever 45 carried by the cross frame member 13 and connectedto an operating handle 46 adjacent one of the side frame members 9, seeparticularly FIGS. 3 and 4. With reference particularly to FIG. 1, itwill be seen that the engine 6, fuel tank 7 and reservoir 8 are disposedintermediate the front and rear ends of the base frame 1, the rear endportion of the base frame I being at least partially covered by a plateor grill work 47 upon which the operator stands convenient to the valveoperating handles 40 and 41 as well as other control devices hereinafterto be described. A railing 48 is mounted on the rear end portion of thebase frame 1 adjacent one side thereof, to prevent the operator fromfalling from the machine during movement thereof over the ground. a

The standard 2 is in the nature of a rigid generally rectangularmetallic plate pivotally secured at its lower end to the fronttransverse frame member 10, by means of a pair of hinges 49, forgenerally fore and aft swinging movements about a normally horizontalaxis extending transversely of the base frame 1. The upper end of thestandard 2 is formed to provide an arcuate edge 50 and a pair ofupstanding stop lug portions 51 at opposite ends of the arcuate edge 50and adjacent the opposite side edges of the standard 2. Means forimparting forward and rearward tilting movements to the standard 2 fromits normally generally vertical position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5,comprises the internal combustion engine 6 and power transmissionmechanism including the fluid pump 19, a fluid pressure operatedcylinder 52 pivotally connected to the base frame 1, as indicated at 53,a cooperating piston rod 54 projecting axially outwardly from thecylinder 52 and pivotally connected to the standard 2, as indicated at55 in FIGS. 1, and 7, and a fluid pressure circuit between the pump 19and cylinder 52. Operation of the cylinder 52 and piston rod 54 iscontrolled by a valve 56 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8 and having avalve operating handle 57, see FIG. 2.

The elongated guide member3' is preferably formed from Means forimparting generally upward and downward movements to the power head 4longitudinally of the guide member 3, comprises a flexible chain 79bolted or otherwise heavy gauge sheet metal to provide a back portion58, fori I wardly projecting longitudinal side portions 59'and intumedflanges 60 to define opposed longitudinal channels 61, see particularlyFIG. 10. Adjacent its lower end, the back portion or wall 58 has weldedor otherwise rigidly secured thereto a reinforcing plate 62 that isprovided adjacent its lower end with a rearwardly projecting stub shaft63 that is joumaled in a boss 64 on the standard 2, the shaft 63 beingprovided with an axially rearwardly extending stud portion 65 thatscrewthreadedly receives a handle-equipped locknut or the like 66, seeparticularly FIG. 9. At its upper end, the reinforcing plate 62 isprovided with a rearwardly extending stud 67 on which is slidablymounted a clamp 68 that engages the upper end portion of the standard 2adjacent the arcuate edge 50 thereof and which is releasably locked inclamping engagement with the standard 2 by a handle-equipped clampingnut 69 screwthreaded on the stud 67. As shown in FIG. 7, the guidemember 3 is pivotally movable on the axis of the stub shaft 63 and stud65 in opposite directions from an intermediate upright position,transversely of the direction of movement of the machine, swingingmovement of the guide member 3 and parts carried thereby being limitedby engagement of the clamp 68 with the upstanding lugs 51 on thestandard 2. The handle'equipped locking nut 66 aids the clamping nut 69in rigidly holding the guide member 3 in any desired set position of itsswinging movement relative to the standard 2.

The power head 4 comprises a hydraulic motor 70 having a normallyvertically disposed drive shaft 71, the auger 5 having an upper socketedend portion 72 for reception of the drive shaft 71 and means, such as aset screw 73, for releasably locking the auger 5 to the drive shaft 71.With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, it will be seen that .the hydraulicmotor 70 and its drive shaft 71 are disposed to support the auger 5 withits axis in forwardly spaced parallel relationship to the guide member3. The power head 4 is mounted for longitudinal up ward and downwardmovements relative to the guide member 3 by a cradle 74 including ashroud 75 fabricated from heavy gauge sheet metal, the cradle 74 havingvertically spaced pairs of rollers 76 joumaled thereon for rollingmovements in the channels 61 of the guide member 3. The hydraulic motor70 is driven from the prime mover or internal combustion engine 6through power transmission mechanism in the nature of a hydrauliccircuit including the fluid pump 19, operation of the hydraulic motor 70being controlled by a valve 77 contained in the valve body 39 andoperated by a valve operating handle 78.

rigidly secured at its opposite ends to the upper and lower endsrespectively of the guide member back portion 58, as indicated at 80 and81 respectively, see particularly FIG. 5. and a rotary hydraulic motor82 rigidly mounted in the cradle 74 and having a driveshaft 83 on whichis rigidly mounted a sprocket wheel 84. The link chain 79 is anchored atits opposite ends generally centrally between the opposite side portions59 of the guide member 3, the elevating hydraulic motor 82 beinglaterally displaced toward one of the side portions 59. The link chain79 is entrained over the sprocket wheel 84 and a pair of idler sprocketwheels 85 joumaled on stub=shafts 86 mounted on a back plate portion 87of the eradle 74, the idler sprocket wheels 85 being disposed laterallybetween the longitudinal center of the guide member 3 and the sprocketwheel 84, see particularly FIG. 6, whereby to provide for substantialengagement between the drive sprocket wheel 84 and the chain 79. Theelevating motor 82 is driven from the internal combustion engine 6through power transmission mechanism including a hydraulic circuitcontaining the fluid pump 19, operation of the hydraulic motor 82 beingcontrolled by a valve 88 contained in the valve body 39 and operated byan operating handle 89. The link chain 79 being relatively stationaryand anchored at opposite ends, motor driven rotation of the elevatingdrive sprocket 84 causes the same to walk upwardly or downwardlyrelative to the chain 79, thus moving the cradle 74 and parts carriedthereby including the auger 5 upwardly or downwardly depending upon thedirection of rotation of the sprocket wheel 84.

By way of example, the several power transmitting circuits include ahigh pressure line or conduit 90 leading from the pump 19 to the severalhydraulic motors 20, 21, 70 and 82, and the cylinder 52 throughrespective branch conduits 91, 92, 93 94 and 95, the fluid pump 19 beingconnected to the reservoir 8 by a conduit 96. Fluid is returned to thereservoir 8 by means of a return conduit 97 and return branch conduits98, 99, 100 and 101. A conventional fllter element 102 is disposed inthe fluid circuitry, being shown in FIG. 11, as being interposed in thereturn line or conduit 97. A bypass conduit 103 having a pressure reliefvalve 104 therein, is connected to the pressure conduit 90 and thereservoir 8.

The above-described machine is sufficiently compact and light in weightto be easily transported to an area of operation and, by manipulation ofthe hydraulic motors 20 and 21, may be quickly and easily moved fromplace to place within the area so that a group or row of holes may bebored in the earth in quick succession. By tilting the guide member 3,either in a forward or rearward direction by operation of the hydrauliccylinde. 52, or in a lateral direction by loosening of the locking nut66 and clamping nuts 69, or both, the auger 5 may be positioned to boreholes in the earth at an angle to the vertical. In the same manner,precisely vertical holes may be bored in the earth when the machine isdisposed at an oblique angle to the vertical, such as on a hillside oron uneven terrain. The earth-boring machine of this invention, due toits mobility and ease of operation and control, enables a singleoperator to bore holes in the earth with greater rapidity thanheretofore, and in locations heretofore inaccessible to truck or tractormounted boring devices.

lclaim:

1. A mobile earth-boring machine comprising:

a. a normally horizontal base frame having front and rear ends andlaterally spaced sides;

b. supporting and driving wheels operatively joumaled at the oppositesides of said base frame; c. an elongated normally upright guide memberhaving a flat plate-like rear wall;

d. a power head including a rotary drive shaft generally parallel to thelongitudinal dimension of said guide member;

e. means including a cradle means mounting the power head on said guidemember for movements longitudinally of said guide member;

f. elevating mechanism for imparting said movements to the power head; 5

g. a prime mover mounted on said base frame;

h. power transmission mechanism operatively connected to "aid primemover for imparting driving movement to said wheels, elevating movementsto said elevating mechanism, and driving rotation to said drive shaft;

. control means for said transmission mechanism operative to controldriving movement of said wheels, elevating movement of said elevatingmechanism, and rotary movement of said drive shaft, selectively; and

j. means mounting said guide member of said base frame for universalswinging movements in forward, rearward and sideward directions relativeto said base frame and comprising:

l. a generally upright plate-like standard having a lower end hinged tothe front end of said base frame on a horizontal axis extendingtransversely of the base frame;

2. means pivotally mounting said guide member rear wall in face to faceengagement with said standard for swinging movements of said guidemember on an axis normal to said horizontal axis;

3. clamping means operatively associated with said standard and rearwall for releasably locking said guide member in desired set positionsfor swinging movement thereof relative to said standard;

4. stop means positively limiting said swinging movements of the guidemember relative to said standard; and

5. means for imparting limited swinging movements of said standardrelative to said base frame.

2. The mobile earth-boring machine defined in claim 1 in which saidelevating mechanism comprises an elongated flexible link chain havingopposite ends each anchored to a different end of said guide member, afluid pressure operated elevating motor mounted on said cradle andhaving a rotary shaft, and a chain engaging drive sprocket wheel on saidrotary shaft, characterized by a pair of idler wheels joumaled in saidcradle in spaced apart relationship longitudinally of said guide memberand disposed to engage said link chain, said drive sprocket wheel beingdisposed in laterally offset rela' tionship to said idler wheels so thatsaid chain runs from one of said idler wheels generally transversely ofsaid guide member in one direction to and over said drive sprocketwheel, and from thence in the opposite direction to the other of saididler wheels.

1. A mobile earth-boring machine comprising: a. a normally horizontalbase frame having front and rear ends and laterally spaced sides; b.supporting and driving wheels operatively journaled at the oppositesides of said base frame; c. an elongated normally upright guide memberhaving a flat plate-like rear wall; d. a power head including a rotarydrive shaft generally parallel to the longitudinal dimension of saidguide member; e. means including a cradle means mounting the power headon said guide member for movements longitudinally of said guide member;f. elevating mechanism for imparting said movements to the power head;g. a prime mover mounted on said base frame; h. power transmissionmechanism operatively connected to said prime mover for impartingdriving movement to said wheels, elevating movements to said elevatingmechanism, and driving rotation to said drive shaft; i. control meansfor said transmission mechanism operative to control driving movement ofsaid wheels, elevating movement of said elevating mechanism, and rotarymovement of said drive shaft, selectively; and j. means mounting saidguide member of said base frame for universal swinging movements inforward, rearward and sideward directions relative to said base frameand comprising:
 1. a generally upright plate-like standard having alower end hinged to the front end of said base frame on a horizontalaxis extending transversely of the base frame;
 2. means pivotallymounting said guide member rear wall in face to face engagement withsaid standard for swinging movements of said guide member on an axisnormal to said horizontal axis;
 3. clamping means operatively associatedwith said standard and rear wall for releasably locking said guidemember in desired set positions for swinging movement thereof relativeto said standard;
 4. stop means positively limiting said swingingmovements of the guide member relative to said standard; and
 5. meansfor imparting limited swinging movements of said standard relative tosaid base frame.
 2. means pivotally mounting said guide member rear wallin face to face engagement with said standard for swinging movements ofsaid guide member on an axis normal to said horizontal axis;
 2. Themobile earth-boring machine defined in claim 1 in which said elevatingmechanism comprises an elongated flexible link chain having oppositeends each anchored to a different end of said guide member, a fluidpressure operated elevating motor mounted on said cradle and having arotary shaft, and a chain engaging drive sprocket wheel on said rotaryshaft, characterized by a pair of idler wheels journaled in said cradlein spaced apart relationship longitudinally of said guide member anddisposed to engage said link chain, said drive sprocket wheel beingdisposed in laterally offset relationship to said idler wheels so thatsaid chain runs from one of said idler wheels generally transversely ofsaid guide member in one direction to and over said drive sprocketwheel, and from thence in the opposite direction to the other of saididler wheels.
 3. clamping means operatively associated with saidstandard and rear wall for releasably locking said guide member indesired set positions for swinging movement thereof relative to saidstandard;
 4. stop means positively limiting said swinging movements ofthe guide member relative to said standard; and
 5. means for impartinglimited swinging movements of said standard relative to said base frame.